Plasma inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor-related urinary glycoprotein EDC1 inhibits the growth of a Burkitt's lymphoma cell line

High-level secretion of human bikunin from recombinant Pichia pastoris

Human bikunin is a glycoprotein that exhibits trypsin inhibitory activity against serine proteases, and is effective in clinic. However, limited productivity and high price of human bikunin retard its further application. In this study, a high-yield, low-cost process of recombinant human bikunin (rh-bikunin) production from Pichia pastoris was established. The trypsin inhibitory activity reached 6·2 × 10(3)  IU ml(-1) after 120 h induction of P. pastoris fermentation process, which was 20-fold higher than that of the previous yield. Furthermore, a simple and low-cost purification process, including ammonium sulphate precipitation, anion exchange adsorption of impurity and cation exchange chromatography, was developed with the results of 38·7% recovery and 96·6% purity of rh-bikunin. This work made a big step to improve bikunin further application in clinic.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study demonstrated the highest rh-bikunin production process towards its application as trypsin inhibitor in clinic. In this work, Pichia pastoris GS115 was used as a host for higher rh-bikunin production which was 20-fold higher than that of P. pastoris X-33. Then, a simple, low-cost purification procedure of rh-bikunin was developed. This potential high productivity and low cost of rh-bikunin process will benefit patients eventually.

Anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective effect of TSG-6 (tumor necrosis factor-alpha-stimulated gene-6) in murine models of experimental arthritis

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-stimulated gene-6 (TSG-6) is up-regulated by various cytokines and growth factors. TSG-6 binds to hyaluronan in inflamed synovial tissue and forms a complex with a serine protease inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (IalphaI), increasing the protease inhibitory effect of IalphaI >100-fold. The TSG-6/IalphaI complex then blocks serine proteases, including the plasminogen-plasmin activation, probably the most important component in the activation processes of matrix metalloproteinases. To gain insight into the mechanisms of TSG-6 action in arthritis, we have used an autoimmune murine model (proteoglycan-induced arthritis) for systemic, and a monoarticular form of arthritis (antigen-induced arthritis) for local treatment of arthritis with recombinant mouse TSG-6 (rmTSG-6). Intravenous injection of rmTSG-6 induced a dramatic reduction of edema in acutely inflamed joints by immobilizing CD44-bound hyaluronan and, in long-term treatment, protected cartilage from degradation and blocked subchondral and periosteal bone erosion in inflamed joints. The intra-articular injection of a single dose (100 microg) of rmTSG-6 exhibited a strong chondroprotective effect for up to 5 to 7 days, preventing cartilage proteoglycan from metalloproteinase-induced degradation. In contrast, rmTSG-6 did not postpone the onset, nor reduce the incidence of arthritis. We were unable to detect any significant differences between control and rmTSG-6-treated animals when various serum markers (including pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, auto- and heteroantibody productions) or antigen-specific T-cell responses were compared, nor when the expressions of numerous cell surface receptors or adhesion molecules were measured. TSG-6 seems to play a critical negative regulatory feed-back function in inflammation, especially in arthritic processes.

Immunohistochemical distribution of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor chains in normal and malignant human lung tissue

The inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (ITI) family is a group of plasma proteins built up from heavy (HC1, HC2, HC3) and light (bikunin) chains synthesized in the liver. In this study we determined the distribution of ITI constitutive chains in normal and cancerous lung tissues using polyclonal antibodies. In normal lung tissue, H2, H3, and bikunin chains were found in polymorphonuclear cells, whereas H1 and bikunin proteins were found in mast cells. Bikunin was further observed in bronchoepithelial mucous cells. In lung carcinoma, similar findings were obtained on infiltrating polymorphonuclear and mast cells surrounding the tumor islets. Highly differentiated cancerous cells displayed strong intracytoplasmic staining with H1 and bikunin antiserum in both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Moreover, weak but frequent H2 expression was observed in adenocarcinoma cells, whereas no H3-related protein could be detected in cancer cells. Local lung ITI expression was confirmed by RT-PCR. Although the respective role of inflammatory and tumor cells in ITI chain synthesis cannot be presently clarified, these results show that heavy chains as well as bikunin are involved in malignant transformation of lung tissue.(J Histochem Cytochem 47:1625-1632, 1999)

Modulation of proliferation of cultured human cells by urinary trypsin inhibitor

Several reports have indicated that proteinase inhibitors can act as both stimulators and inhibitors of the growth of cultured cells. To confirm and extend these reports, we have purified the trypsin inhibitor from human urine (UTI). We have demonstrated a biphasic effect of this protein on the proliferation of human fibroblasts, and have identified two types of cellular binding site which may be responsible for the stimulatory and inhibitory aspects of this effect. Both aspects of UTI action have also been observed in human tumour cell cultures, but they are not consistently associated in these cells.

Bikunin in rat plasma, lymph and bile

Bikunin is a protease inhibitor consisting of a 16 kDa polypeptide and an 8 kDa chondroitin sulphate chain which has an apparent molecular mass of 60-70 kDa upon gel filtration. It is synthesized by hepatocytes and occurs in plasma, both in free form, and in complex with other polypeptides--mainly as the 180 kDa protein inter-alpha-inhibitor. Bikunin binds to proteases less avidly than other plasma inhibitors, making its role in the blood unclear. However, some observations indicate that bikunin has important functions outside the blood system. To assess its capacity to reach extravascular spaces, we have determined the total concentration of bikunin in plasma (0.17 mg/ml), lymph (31 micrograms/ml) and bile (0.2 microgram/ml). Quantitation after removal of complexed bikunin (inter-alpha-inhibitor) by acid precipitation showed that the concentration of free bikunin in those fluids was 3, 1.4 and 0.05 micrograms/ml, respectively. These values yield a lymph/plasma ratio of free bikunin of 0.5, which is higher than expected for a protein of the hydrodynamic size and charge of bikunin. The bile/plasma ratio (0.02), however, is similar to that of other proteins of comparable size. The corresponding values for inter-alpha-inhibitor, 0.16 and 0.001, respectively, indicate that its capacity to pass through the vascular endothelium is relatively high whereas transfer to bile is restricted. Furthermore, we have found that in a perfusate of an isolated rat liver, the ratio of free to complexed bikunin was 30-40 times higher than in plasma, consistent with previous observations showing that free bikunin is cleared from the blood stream much more rapidly than inter-alpha-inhibitor.

Proteinases and proteinase inhibitors as modulators of animal cell growth

1. Three distinct lines of evidence indicate that proteinases are involved in the growth of cultured animal cells. 2. Endogenous growth-related proteinases have been identified, and exogenous proteinases can also stimulate cell proliferation, probably by different mechanisms. In some cases, higher concentrations of proteinases are cytotoxic. 3. Proteinase inhibitors, not surprisingly, inhibit cell growth, but can also be mitogenic at sub-inhibitory concentrations. 4. There must, therefore, be at least three major cellular processes in which proteinases or proteinase inhibitors can operate to exert a direct effect on cell proliferation. 5. Details of one action of an exogenous proteinase, typified by thrombin and the thrombin receptor, are becoming clear at the molecular level, but thrombin probably activates at least two intracellular signalling systems, as well as acting as a growth inhibitor in some situations. 6. Much remains to be investigated in other examples.

Cancer-related urinary proteinase inhibitor, EDC1: a new method for its isolation and evidence for multiple forms

During the past several years, numerous laboratories have reported isolation and purification of proteinase inhibitors from human urine. Many of these molecules were incompletely characterized and some of them may have been artifacts in part because of harsh procedures used for their isolation. Consequently, there is disagreement and confusion regarding the biochemical characteristics of these inhibitors. We previously reported the isolation of a proteinase inhibitor, EDC1, from the urine of a leukemic patient. This molecule, M(r) 30 kDa, was antigenically related to plasma inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (IATI) and inhibited the growth of a virally transformed B cell line. Immunoreactive EDC1 was also the major component of low molecular weight proteinuria observed in cancer patients. We now report a new method for the isolation of EDC1 from urine of patients with adenocarcinomas of colon and lung and melanoma and compare its partial amino acid sequence with that of HI 30, a proteinase inhibitor previously isolated from pooled normal urine by Hochstrasser et al. [Hoppe-Seyler's Z Physiol Chem 357:153-162, 1976]. Our method involves i) a batchwise cation exchange, ii) gel filtration chromatography, iii) anion exchange chromatography on FPLC, and iv) reverse phase C18 chromatography on HPLC. This method is mild and results in an overall yield of 0.4 to 1.2 mg of EDC1/liter urine. On the basis of the partial N-terminal amino acid sequence of its N terminal (38 residues) and middle regions (29 residues), EDC1 appears to be identical with HI30. Surprisingly, during this isolation procedure, another proteinase inhibitor, M(r) 22 kDa, which cross-reacted with antisera to EDC1 and IATI, was also isolated. The 22 kDa molecule was a major component of the IATI related urinary molecules and was identical with the 30 kDa EDC1 in which first the 15 N terminal residues were clipped. The lower M(r) inhibitor was not an artifact formed during storage or isolation procedure because the Western blot analysis of fresh cancer and normal urine revealed the 30 and 22 kDa molecules. Thus, both the 30 kDa EDC1 (or HI30) and its clipped variant, the 22 kDa molecule, are physiologic components of IATI related urinary proteinase inhibitors and excretion of both forms may be increased in patients with advanced cancer.